Love Rarely
Fresh off the release of genuine AOTY contender, Pain Travels, as well as a storming run alongside the Callous Daoboys and Knives earlier this year, Leeds’ Love Rarely come to Upcote Farm with a fair bit of wind in their sails. Billing themselves as a math rock band, that somewhat undersells the way they take emo-tinged guitar histrionics and weld them to swaggering post hardcore and gigantic melodies, and in vocalist Courtney Levitt, they have a genuinely compelling star in the making. You can catch the full emotional wreckage in the pit on Wednesday at 2.35pm at the Word Stage. – PS
Hyphen
Political rap-punk solo artist Hyphen returns to 2000 Trees in the wake his energetic performance at Upcote Farm in 2025. If last year’s chaos is anything to go by, the Forest Stage may need reinforcing. Audience participation is rarely optional with Hyphen as he is known to get stuck in the crowd. Moshpits form almost instantly and singalongs are delivered with the force of a protest. His growing profile feels tied to the political mood of modern Britain, proof that when someone is willing to speak up, people listen. The themes are impossible to miss. Song titles such as Hate Yachts, Not Dinghies and Go Back (drawing on Hyphen’s own experiences of race-based abuse as an Asian man) tackle division, inequality and prejudice head on. Yet the atmosphere is far from bleak. There is release in the rage and a solidarity in the noise. Catharsis is the name of the game on Wednesday at 4.20pm on the Forest stage. – CL
Sprints
Ireland’s Sprints exploded onto the scene with their debut Letter To Self in 2024, and this year’s All That Is Over reaffirmed why their scrappy, garage punk was so acclaimed. Biting, incisive lyrics, frenetic guitar work and a tense emotional core that addressed everything from mental health to being queer in the modern world. They’re also a powerhouse live act, as gigs across the country and overseas have proved. They bring their particularly brash brand of post punk chaos to the Forest stage at 8:15pm on Wednesday. – WM
Lake Malice
One of the UK’s most exciting upcoming bands, boundary-smashing Lake Malice return to Upcote Farm this time as stage headliners, mere months before they release their debut album I Wanna Know If It’s Real. A raucous blend of hyperpop, metalcore and a visual aesthetic that’d be as much at home in Cyberpunk 2077 as Final Fantasy, they’re a band that are a powerhouse on record and get even better live. Don’t miss catching them headlining the Word stage on Wednesday at 9:15pm. – WM
Long Goodbye
The northeast is a hotbed of fantastic metalcore at the moment, and few exemplify that like Long Goodbye. Taking cues from Converge, Poison The Well and other 2000s greats, they don’t just ape the sound but reshape it and its themes for the modern day. It’s still scrappy and feral as all hells, refusing to overproduce to deliver aural violence of the highest degree. Get your spinkicking shoes on, head down to the Cave at 12pm on Thursday and throw some shapes. – WM
Hammok
Melding pounding noise rock with genuine bite and wit, Norwegian chaoticians Hammok’s latest album sounds like it was made by a band who couldn’t wait to take it to a stage, all bristling energy and blistering madness. Whether they can corral all that intensity into a live set is a question we’re very much looking forward to seeing answered. Oh, and in the single Gooning For Free, they may have delivered one of the best riffs of the year, so come along to the Cave stage on Thursday at 1pm see if the chaos holds together, or spectacularly doesn’t. – PS
Still In Love
UKHC supergroup, Still In Love have created quite the hype in the scene in the last twelve months. Their first album “Recovery Language” was released to critical acclaim last year, cementing themselves quickly as a force to be reckoned with. Still In Love are formed of members from groups such as Dead Swans and Bring Me The Horizon, so you can trust they have the knowhow to translate their full, melancholic sound to the stage. This is hardcore with its roots in the emotional but that doesn’t mean the moshpit is empty. Catch them on the Cave stage at 2pm on Thursday. – CL
Hyro The Hero
Cult classic, Hyro The Hero has earned a spot this high on the bill. This Houston born rapper released his first mixtape nearly 20 years ago and from then, has garnered a sizeable following. Despite only flirting with metal and rock in his sound, he’s played The Warped Tour, supported Deftones and has Corey Taylor on his third album. Live performances are high energy, but the music is perfectly executed by his touring band. Be prepared to jump up a few times at the Forest stage, Thursday at 10:15pm. – CL
Knives
Anyone who caught the maelstrom that was Knives in support of the Callous Daoboys earlier this year will know that Knives live is a very different prospect to Knives on record. Somehow, these Bristolians take the brash, sax-laden post-punk brilliance of their debut GLITTER and turn it into something entirely new, so chaotic and cathartic and blistering that they threatened to blow away the headliners. Get yourself down to the Marshall Stage on Friday at 1.30pm to see if they can repeat the trick. – PS
Higher Power
When Higher Power returned after five years with last year’s There’s Love in This World if You Want It, it was hard not to wonder if they’d missed their moment, having waited that bit too long to capitalise on all those articles calling them England’s answer to Turnstile. But here they are on the main stage, bringing their very English take on a very American version of hardcore punk. This time around, they’ve leaned away from the more Deftones-edged sound and further toward the breezier NY hardcore of bands like Snapcase, so let’s hope the British weather can bring the sunshine and the crowd that this band so sorely deserves. Friday, 2pm, Main Stage. – PS
Glassjaw
Hands down one of the most influential bands playing this (or any other) festival this year, Glassjaw make their 2000 Trees debut, which seems mad given their importance to the scene this whole festival is here to celebrate. Over the course of three decades and change, Glassjaw have been amongst the high watermarks of post hardcore, and the last time they were on this septic isle they played full album sets, so what we can expect is anyone’s guess. Will they avoid their (problematic but incredible) debut entirely? Will they even make it to the stage? Head to the Main Stage on Friday at 7.30pm to find out. – PS
High Regard
Noizzefest alumni High Regard are making themselves known at Upcote Farm this year, bringing their high energy and spinning around onstage. Though they’ve released just a smattering of songs across a couple of EPs and standalones, they’ve garnered support slots with the likes of Lake Malice and an upcoming tour with The Hara. They’ve also sold out their own headline shows, with a dedicated fanbase that flock to their hook-laden, emo-flecked pop rock. You’ll be able to catch them at the Forest stage at 3:35pm on Saturday. – WM
As Everything Unfolds
Having just released their excellent third album Did You Ask To Be Set Free?, quartet As Everything Unfolds will bring their sonic catharsis that deals with trauma, loss and maladaptive daydreaming set to metalcore bangers with choruses that’ll stick in your head for weeks afterwards. You can be sure there’ll be plenty of singalongs and circle pits as they pull out surefire rippers like ‘Gasoline’, ‘Felt Like Home’ and of course, ‘On the Inside’. They’ll be decimating the Axiom stage on Saturday at 5pm. – WM
Ho99o9
Fresh from the release of their third album “Tomorrow We Escape” and an huge tour, this punk/rap/hardcore duo brings their unique, intense sound to 2000 Trees. Look no further for where the party will be. Ho99o9 blend hardcore punk sensibilities with modern hip hop breaks and rhythm to create a crazy vibe live. Tackling American politics and speaking proudly about being Black in a modern world, they have an unapologetic way of entertaining but educating all at once. Experience greatness and feel truly alive Saturday at 6.35pm on the Axiom stage. – CL
High Vis
If you like to tap into your deepest emotions while you two step, London based semi supergroup High Vis are for you. Playing late on the line up for the weekend to an exhausted but happy crowd is booking perfection. After a weekend of sunshine (hopefully), beers and laughs, it’s time to grab your friends and sing your hearts out to songs like Trauma Bonds and Mind’s A Lie. Don’t forget your tissues and make your way to the Cave on Saturday at 9:40pm. – CL